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Use of HBsAg quantification in the natural history and treatment of chronic hepatitis B
Authors
Authors and affiliations
Lung-Yi MakWai-Kay SetoJames FungMan-Fung YuenEmail author
Lung-Yi Mak
1
Wai-Kay Seto
12
James Fung
12
Man-Fung Yuen
12Email author
1.Department of MedicineThe University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary HospitalHong KongChina
2.State Key Laboratory for Liver ResearchThe University of Hong KongHong KongChina
Review Article
First Online: 19 November 2019
2 Shares 197 Downloads
Abstract
In patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, it is important to monitor the natural history, assess treatment response, and predict the risk of liver-related complications. Quantification of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) has gained wide interests since the last decade. It is secreted from hepatocytes in both hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive and HBeAg-negative phases of the disease, and can be transcribed and translated from different sources of viral genome [ccc DNA or integrated hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA]. In untreated patients, it declines slowly through the natural course and remains stable for a long time after HBeAg seroconversion. In patients treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA), it also declines very slowly, even though serum hepatitis B DNA has been rendered negative. Low serum HBsAg may predict either spontaneous or treatment-induced HBsAg seroclearance, and potentially selects out HBeAg-negative patients who can safely stop NA. High serum HBsAg is associated with high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in untreated population, and predicts treatment failure in patients receiving pegylated interferon. These potential roles of HBsAg quantification are applicable to selected populations only. There is also a need for novel markers to study the effect of emerging antiviral therapies targeting various parts of the HBV cycle to reflect their distinct mechanistic effects. Several agents measuring HBsAg levels have shown rapid and significant decline. Ongoing studies are required to demonstrate the sustainability of HBsAg suppression by these novel agents.
Keywords
Hepatitis B virus Hepatitis B surface antigen Functional cure Antiviral therapy Hepatocellular carcinoma |
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